Many different types of electrical connectors are known in the art. One such electrical connector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,062 as a right-angled header for connecting a coaxial electrical cable to a printed circuit board. The right-angled header includes a molded thermoplastic encapsulating insulative body, one or more right-angled conductive metal electrical signal contact pins and a molded thermoplastic shroud. The molded thermoplastic encapsulating insulative body surrounds and holds the one or more right-angled conductive metal electrical signal contact pins in an evenly, ordered arrangement. Each of the signal contact pins is surrounded by the insulative body and a separate conductive metal shell. Each signal contact pin is affixed to each conductive metal shell. The molded thermoplastic shroud surrounds all faces of the right-angled header which do not have contact pins extending from their surface and bonds the right-angled header into a unitary whole.
A drawback associated with this type of right-angled header is that it is difficult to securely mount it to a support surface such as a printed circuit board. Also, this type of right-angled header does not facilitate mounting to the support surface in a low-profile manner. Furthermore, this right-angled header does not protect the support surface on which it is mounted.
It would be beneficial to provide an electrical connector that can be securely mounted to a support surface. It would also beneficial to provide an electrical connector that facilitates low-profile mounting to the support surface. Furthermore, it would also be beneficial to provide an electrical connector that protects the support surface on which it is mounted. The present invention provides these benefits.